Network selection with stateless network functions

ABSTRACT

Various communication systems may implement network management tools to help manage registration requests from a user equipment. For example, network functions in a communication system with a shared data layer may be used to manage requests from the user equipment. A method may include transmitting a request from a user equipment to a network function. The method may also include receiving at the user equipment a temporary identification from the network function The temporary identification comprises an identifier that helps locate a shared data layer function that stores context information for the user equipment. In addition, the method may include transmitting from the user equipment a subsequent request comprising the temporary identification to another network function or the network function.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/417,004 filed on Nov. 3, 2016. The entire content of theabove-referenced application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field

Various communication systems may implement network management tools tohelp manage registration requests from a user equipment. For example,network functions in a communication system with a shared data layer maybe used to manage requests from the user equipment.

Description of the Related Art

Third generation partnership project (3GPP) 5^(th) generation (5G)technology is a next generation of radio systems and networkarchitecture that can deliver extreme broadband and ultra-robust, lowlatency connectivity. 5G technology improves a variety oftelecommunication services offered to the end users, and helps tosupport massive broadband that delivers gigabytes of bandwidth persecond on demand for both the uplink and downlink transmissions. 5G alsoallows for machine-type communication (MTC) with extremely lowend-to-end (E2E) latency. MTC communication involves immediatesynchronous eye-hand feedback that is used for controlling devices, suchas remote control of robots, cars, and any other device that can behelped by low E2E latency. Massive MTC (mMTC), in which billions ofsensors and machines are connected to one another, may also be aided by5G technology.

Given the large number of diverse use cases provided for by 5Gtechnology, 5G architecture expands beyond previous architectures of4^(th) generation (4G), Long Term Evolution (LTE), or any other wirelessmobile telecommunications technology. 5G is not only a new Radio AccessTechnology (RAT) family, but also provides a common core for multipleradio technologies, such as cellular networks, wireless land accessnetworks, and fixed networks. In addition, 5G provides a common core formultiple services, such as Internet of Things (IoT), mobile broadband,low latency-high reliability, and multiple network and serviceoperators.

Next generation systems, which utilize the 5G architecture, utilizevirtualized radio access network (RAN) functions and core networkfunctions. Unlike previous technologies, instead of having individualentities in the network perform various functions and manage their owndata, virtualized functions can run on top of a shared data center. Thedata center may therefore be a shared data layer that provides a centralstorage location for all virtualized network functions. Thisvirtualization infrastructure can be leveraged to decouple the computefunctions of the network and the storage layer of the network.

SUMMARY

According to certain embodiments, a method may include transmitting arequest from a user equipment to a network function. The method may alsoinclude receiving at the user equipment a temporary identification fromthe network function. The temporary identification comprises anidentifier that helps locate a shared data layer function that storescontext information for the user equipment. In addition, the method mayinclude transmitting from the user equipment a subsequent requestcomprising the temporary identification to another network function orthe network function.

In a variant, the network function may be located in a serving publicmobile network.

In a variant, the method may also include deriving the serving publicland mobility network of the user equipment using an identity of thepublic land mobility network.

In another variant, the method may further include transmitting thetemporary identification to a radio access network.

In yet another variant, the temporary identification may be transmittedto the radio access network via a radio resource control message.

According to another embodiment, a method may include receiving at anetwork function a request from a user equipment. The method may alsoinclude generating a temporary identification for the user equipment.The temporary identification comprises an identifier that helps locate ashared data layer function that stores context information for the userequipment. In addition, the method may include assigning the temporaryidentification to the user equipment.

In a variant, the method may additionally include sending the temporaryidentification to the user equipment.

In another variant, the method may also include receiving at the networkfunction or at another network function a subsequent request comprisingthe temporary identification from a user equipment.

In yet another variant, the method may also include retrieving at thenetwork function or at the another network function context informationfor the user equipment from the shared data layer function using thetemporary identification.

In a variant, the method can further include responding to the requestfrom the user equipment using the retrieved context information.

In yet another variant, the network function may be located in a servingpublic land mobile network.

In a variant, the shared data layer may be located in a public landmobile network.

In another variant, an identity of the serving public land mobilenetwork may be pre-configured in the network function.

In an additional variant, the network function may be pre-configuredwith an IP address of the data layer.

In a further variant, the network function may be pre-configured withthe IP address of the data layer during deployment or instantiation ofthe network function.

In another variant, the network function used for uplink communicationsmay be selected by a radio access network.

In yet another variant, the network function used for downlinkcommunication may be elected by a session management function.

In a further variant, the method may include storing the user equipmentcontext information in the data layer, and releasing the user equipmentcontext information from the network function.

In a variant, the network function may provide for at least one ofmobility management, session management, or policy control.

According to certain embodiments, an apparatus may include at least onememory including computer program code, and at least one processor. Theat least one memory and the computer program code may be configured,with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least totransmit a request to a network function. The at least one memory andthe computer program code may also be configured, with the at least oneprocessor, to cause the apparatus at least to receive a temporaryidentification from the network function. The temporary identificationmay comprise an identifier that helps locate a shared data layerfunction that stores context information for the apparatus. In addition,the at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured,with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least totransmit a subsequent request comprising the temporary identification toanother network function or to the network function.

An apparatus, in certain embodiments, may include means for includetransmitting a request from a user equipment to a network function. Theapparatus may also include means for receiving at the user equipment atemporary identification from the network function. The temporaryidentification may comprise an identifier that helps locate a shareddata layer function that stores context information for the userequipment. In addition, the apparatus may include means for transmittingfrom the user equipment a subsequent request comprising the temporaryidentification to another network function or to the network function.

According to certain embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readablemedium encoding instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform aprocess. The process may include transmitting a request from a userequipment to a network function. The process may also include receivingat the user equipment a temporary identification from the networkfunction. The temporary identification may comprise an identifier thathelps locate a shared data layer function that stores contextinformation for the user equipment. In addition, the process may includetransmitting from the user equipment a subsequent request comprising thetemporary identification to another network function or to the networkfunction.

According to certain other embodiments, a computer program product mayencode instructions for performing a process. The process may includetransmitting a request from a user equipment to a network function. Theprocess may also include receiving at the user equipment a temporaryidentification from the network function. The temporary identificationmay comprise an identifier that helps locate a shared data layerfunction that stores context information for the user equipment. Inaddition, the process may include transmitting from the user equipment asubsequent request comprising the temporary identification to anothernetwork function or to the network function.

According to certain embodiments, an apparatus may include at least onememory including computer program code, and at least one processor. Theat least one memory and the computer program code may be configured,with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least toreceive a request from a user equipment. The at least one memory and thecomputer program code may also be configured, with the at least oneprocessor, to cause the apparatus at least to generate a temporaryidentification for the user equipment. The temporary identification maycomprise an identifier that helps locate a shared data layer functionthat stores context information for the user equipment. In addition, theat least one memory and the computer program code may also beconfigured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus atleast to assign the temporary identification to the user equipment.

An apparatus, in certain embodiments, may include means for receiving ata network function a request from a user equipment. The apparatus mayalso include means for generating a temporary identification for theuser equipment. The temporary identification may comprise an identifierthat helps locate a shared data layer function that stores contextinformation for the user equipment. In addition, the apparatus mayinclude means for assigning the temporary identification to the userequipment.

According to certain embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readablemedium encoding instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform aprocess. The process may include receiving at a network function arequest from a user equipment. The process may also include generating atemporary identification for the user equipment. The temporaryidentification may comprise an identifier that helps locate a shareddata layer function that stores context information for the userequipment. In addition, the process may include assigning the temporaryidentification to the user equipment.

According to certain other embodiments, a computer program product mayencode instructions for performing a process. The process may includereceiving at a network function a request from a user equipment. Theprocess may also include generating a temporary identification for theuser equipment. The temporary identification may comprise an identifierthat helps locate a shared data layer function that stores contextinformation for the user equipment. In addition, the process may includeassigning the temporary identification to the user equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For proper understanding of the invention, reference should be made tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a 5G network architecture.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram according to certain embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments provide support for stateless network functions.Stateless network functions, also referred to as network functionhereinafter, may be those virtualized network functions in a 5G networkthat do not manage their own data. Rather, the data of the virtualizednetwork functions may be managed and stored at a shared data center.This shared data center may be located in a Shared Data Layer. TheShared Data Layer may be referred to as an Unstructured Data StorageFunction (UDSF). The Shared Data Layer can be used to decrease thecomplexity of the network, and to easily scale or adjust the network tomeet changing resource demands.

In order for a user equipment (UE) to properly connect to a network, UEcontext information may be utilized. The UE may be, for example, amobile device or a machine, such as a sensor or a meter. The contextinformation may be used at least to establish a connection between theUE and the network, such as a radio resource control (RRC) connection.In certain embodiments that utilize a stateless network functionenvironment, it may be helpful to determine where the UE context isstored, and to identify how the context information should be retrievedby the stateless network functions.

In contrast to many of the embodiments described below, in an evolvedpacket system (EPS), the UE may send a temporary identity, such as aglobally unique temporary identification (GUTI) or a serving temporarymobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI). The temporary identity may includethe mobility management entity (MME) identifier. The identified MME isexpected to have the context information for the UE stored therein. Evenif a new MME is selected, the new MME can derive the old MMEidentification based on a received temporary identification, andretrieve the UE context information from the old MME.

In certain embodiments, however, the UE context information may bestored in the stateless network function. The embodiments below mayprovide for an apparatus, method, process, or computer program in whichthe stateless network function may be able to discover the shared datalayer, also referred to as a UDSF, in which the UE context informationis stored, and to retrieve the UE context information from thedetermined location. Certain embodiments may optimize the access to thedata center, also referred to as a state repository, by the networkfunctions. The embodiments identified below help to achieve significantimprovements to the functioning of a network and/or to the functioningof the different network entities within the network.

In certain embodiments, all network functions may be able to process arequest from the UE. In other embodiments, however, only some of thenetwork functions may be able to process the request. The request, forexample, may be a registration request, or may be a service request bythe UE to utilize a service provided by any one of the networkfunctions. A network function may be a mobility management function(MMF), a session management function (SMF), or a policy control planefunction (PCF), for example. In some embodiments, the initial requestmay be a service request sent by the UE, for example, when the UEtransitions from an Idle mode to a Connected mode. Subsequent requestsmay be packet data unit (PDU) session requests, for example.

FIG. 1 illustrates a 5G network architecture. In particular, FIG. 1illustrates a next generation (NG) UE 110 being connected to a NG RadioAccess Network (RAN) 120. The 5G architecture also including a singlelogical data layer 150, also known as a shared data layer. As discussedabove, the shared data layer may be used as a central point of storagefor all of the network functions in the network. NG MMF 130 and NG SMF140 may also be provided in the network. Both MMF 130 and SMF 140 may bevirtualized network functions connected to data layer 150.

In certain embodiments, MMF 130 and SMF 140 may be stateless, and maynot individually store UE context information. Rather, the UE contextinformation may be stored in shared data layer 150. Any one of thenetwork functions, for example MMF 130 or SMF 140, may retrieve the UEcontext information from shared data layer 150. In addition, any of thenetwork functions provided in the network, such as a session managementfunction, a protocol control function, or a mobility managementfunction, may be selected to process a request from the UE. In someembodiments, the mobility management function may be referred to aseither MMF or AMF.

The shared data layer, in some embodiments, may be located in the publicland mobile network (PLMN). Accordingly, the virtualized networkfunctions may also be located in the local PLMN. In certain embodiments,the MMF may be located in the serving PLMN. The data layer may bediscovered through an interaction with the domain name service function.For example, the MMF may interact with the domain name service functionto determine the location of the data layer. The fully qualified domainname (FQDN) of a data layer function in the serving PLMN may in someembodiments be pre-configured in the respective network functions.Network function may be a processing entity, while data layer functionmay be a function that supports database functionality.

Alternatively, the serving PLMN may be self-constructed by the UEthrough a PLMN identification of the serving PLMN. The Internet Protocol(IP) address of a data layer function in a home PLMN may be provisionedin the UE. The network function may, in some embodiments, assign a datalayer function for the UE based on an international mobile subscriberidentity (IMSI) or an international mobile entity identity (IMEI) range.

In other embodiments, each network function that uses the data layer maybe configured with at least one IP address of the data layer when it isinstantiated or deployed. In other words, the network functions may bepre-configured with the IP address of the data layer. In someembodiments, the network function may be pre-configured with theinternet protocol address of the data layer during deployment orinstantiation of the network function. The stored UE context informationin the data layer may be addressable by various UE identities. Incertain embodiments, the identities may be assigned by a home PLMN(HPLMN) or a visited PLMN (VPLMN), and the identities may be eitherpermanent or temporary. For example, one identity may be the IMSI, whichmay act as the primary key to the data at the UE. In other embodiments,however, other keys may be used, such as temporary identities associatedwith the UE in the RAN or the core network. Network functions may thenuse these preconfigured identities to retrieve the UE contextinformation.

In certain embodiments, each network function may have knowledge ofeither the IMSI or one of the identities described above. The networkfunctions may use the IMSI or the above identities to access the UEcontext information. In some embodiments, the network functions may haveadministrative authorization to access the UE context information. Itmay also be possible to discover the data layer in a network by means ofeither domain name system (DNS) queries or any other mechanism.

As discussed in the above embodiments, the network functions may accessthe data layer in order to retrieve UE context information. The datalayer may be geographically redundant so that the network functions mayhave a primary address collocated in the same data center or in the samenetwork entity. The data layer may be a logical function that can belocated in the same data center as the network function. The networkfunctions, which may be a virtualized network functions, can then be runon top of the data center. While the primary logical function thatstores context may be collocated in the same data center, the secondarylogical function that stores context may be located in other datacenters.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram according to certain embodiments. Inparticular, FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a UE, or a process ormethod carried out by the UE. In step 210, the UE may transmit aninitial registration request towards the network. Any network functionmay then be selected by the network to process the request. Uponreceiving the request, the network function, such as an MMF, maygenerate a temporary identification for the UE. The temporaryidentification may include an identifier that maps to a location in theshared data layer in which the UE context information is stored, alsoreferred to as an unstructured data storage function. For example, theidentifier may uniquely map to a data layer state repository assignedfor storing the UE context information. The generated temporaryidentification may then be assigned to the UE, which may include sendingthe temporary identification to the UE.

In another embodiment, the temporary identification may include anidentifier that maps to the network function that processed the UErequest. In other words, the temporary identification may include anidentifier of the network function that has a UE association. Forexample, the identifier may uniquely map to both the network functionand the data layer state repository assigned for storing the UE contextinformation. The generated temporary identification may then be assignedto the UE, which may include sending the temporary identification to theUE.

As shown in step 220, the UE receives the assigned temporaryidentification from the network function. When transmitting subsequentrequests to another network function or to the network function, the UEmay include the temporary identification within the request, as shown instep 230. The selected network function, which is the another networkfunction or the network function receiving the subsequent request, maythen use the temporary identification included in the subsequent UErequest to retrieve the UE context information from the stored locatedin the data layer. While in some embodiments the temporaryidentification may be the only information the network function uses toretrieve the UE context information, in other embodiments the temporaryidentification may be used in conjuncture with other information toretrieve the stored UE context information.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram according to certain embodiments. Inparticular, FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram from the perspective ofone or more network functions operating on a network entity. The networkentity may be the server or a data center upon which the virtualizednetwork functions operate. The network entity operating the one or morenetwork functions can communicate with the user equipment shown in FIG.2 . In step 310, any of the network functions in the network may receivea registration request. The network function may then generate atemporary identification, and assign and/or transmit the temporaryidentification to the UE, as shown in steps 320 and 330. The temporaryidentification may include an identifier that helps locate a shared datalayer function, for example, a state repository of the data layer, whichstores the UE context information. The shared data layer function may bereferred to as an unstructured data storage function. Upon completion ofthe processing of the registration request, the network function maystore UE context information in the data layer, and release the UEcontext information. In other words, the network function may purge thecontext information once the registration request is processed.

In certain embodiments, the network function may receive a subsequentrequest from the UE, as shown in step 340. The request may include thetemporary identification that was previously assigned to the UE. Therequest may be received by either the same network function thatgenerated and assigned the temporary identification, or by any othernetwork function, referred to as another network function. In step 350,the network function may use the temporary identification received instep 340 to retrieve UE context information from the shared data layerfunction or unstructured data storage function using the temporaryidentification. For example, the network function may query the datalayer to retrieve the UE context, by using a DNS query, for example. Instep 360, the network function may use the retrieved context informationto process the request received from the UE. For example, the retrievedcontext information may be used for registration or to attach a request.The retrieved content information may also be used to track an areaupdate requests, or to provide a requested service.

To support storage of RAN contexts in the shared data layer or theunstructured data storage function, the temporary identification may beprovided to the RAN by the UE. The temporary identification may then beused by the RAN to page and select a network function, such as a MMF. Incertain embodiments, the temporary identification, or a derived versionof the temporary identification, may be transmitted from the UE to theRAN. The UE may in some embodiment transmit the temporary identity, orthe derived identity, to the RAN via an RRC message. The RAN can use thetemporary identification to determine the correct data layer functionwhere the UE context may be stored. The temporary identification mayalso be used for core network selection.

In certain embodiments, a stateless network function, for example anMMF, may be selected by an independent function. In some networkcommunication systems, downlink and uplink communications may occur evenwhen the UE may be in idle mode. In such embodiments, the MMF or the MMFpool for uplink communications may be selected by the RAN, while the MMFfor downlink communication may be selected by the SMF. In otherembodiments the MMF, or any other network function involved in uplink ordownlink communication, may be selected by any other network function orRAN. The data layer, in some embodiments, may guarantee synchronizationof the UE context information by allowing access in mutual exclusion. AnMMF pool may include one or more mobility management functions.

For example, access to UE context information by distributed data layerfunctions may be realized by setting a MUTEX flag in a centralizedlocation for the UE. MUTEX may be a synchronization mechanism forenforcing limits on access to a resource in an environment where thereare many threads of execution. The MUTEX function may house the primarykey for the UE, as well as a flag indicating that the context may belocked. The hardware supporting the MUTEX function may be very reliable.In some embodiments, there may be multiple MUTEX functions each devotedto a range of the primary key values. Multiple MUTEX functions canincrease the reliability and availability of the network.

There may be various processes used for selecting an MMF for a UE. Insome embodiments, RAN or SMF may address an MMF at random. Either theRAN or SMF may attempt to claim to be the MMF for the UE, and registerin the UE context in a MUTEX function. The first network function toclaim to be the MMF for the UE may write its address in the UE contextinformation. When a network function receives the context information ata later point in time, the network function may check whether there isalready an MMF that has claimed the UE. The SMF may then be redirectedto MMF that has already claimed the UE. In the above embodiments, theRAN and the SMF may have access to the data layer, and the last MMF mayclear its address from that data layer when the MMF may no longer be inuse.

FIG. 4 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments. It shouldbe understood that each signal or block in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 may beimplemented by various means or their combinations, such as hardware,software, firmware, one or more processors and/or circuitry. In oneembodiment, a system may include several devices, such as, for example,network entity 420 or UE 410. The system may include more than one UE410 and more one network node 420. The network entity may be a datacenter, a network node, a 5GNB, a NG NB, a server, host, or any of theother access or network node. Any one of the network functions may berunning on top of the network entity.

Each of these devices may include at least one processor or control unitor module, respectively indicated as 411 and 421. At least one memorymay be provided in each device, and indicated as 412 and 422,respectively. The memory may include computer program instructions orcomputer code contained therein. One or more transceiver 413 and 423 maybe provided, and each device may also include an antenna, respectivelyillustrated as 414 and 424. Although only one antenna each is shown,many antennas and multiple antenna elements may be provided to each ofthe devices. Other configurations of these devices, for example, may beprovided. For example, network entity 420 and UE 410 may be additionallyconfigured for wired communication, in addition to wirelesscommunication, and in such a case antennas 414 and 424 may illustrateany form of communication hardware, without being limited to merely anantenna.

Transceivers 413 and 423 may each, independently, be a transmitter, areceiver, or both a transmitter and a receiver, or a unit or device thatmay be configured both for transmission and reception. The transmitterand/or receiver (as far as radio parts are concerned) may also beimplemented as a remote radio head which is not located in the deviceitself, but in a mast, for example. The operations and functionalitiesmay be performed in different entities, such as nodes, hosts or servers,in a flexible manner In other words, division of labor may vary case bycase. One possible use is to make a network node deliver local content.One or more functionalities may also be implemented as virtualapplication(s) in software that can run on a server.

A user device or user equipment 410 may be a mobile station (MS) such asa mobile phone or smart phone or multimedia device, a computer, such asa tablet, provided with wireless communication capabilities, personaldata or digital assistant (PDA) provided with wireless communicationcapabilities, portable media player, digital camera, pocket videocamera, navigation unit provided with wireless communicationcapabilities or any combinations thereof In other embodiments, the userequipment may be replaced with a machine communication device that doesnot require any human interaction, such as a sensor or a meter.

In some embodiments, an apparatus, such as a network entity, may includemeans for carrying out embodiments described above in relation to FIGS.2 and 3 . In certain embodiments, at least one memory including computerprogram code can be configured to, with the at least one processor,cause the apparatus at least to perform any of the processes describedherein.

Processors 411 and 421 may be embodied by any computational or dataprocessing device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), digitalsignal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays(FPGAs), digitally enhanced circuits, or comparable device or acombination thereof The processors may be implemented as a singlecontroller, or a plurality of controllers or processors.

For firmware or software, the implementation may include modules or unitof at least one chip set (for example, procedures, functions, and soon). Memories 412 and 422 may independently be any suitable storagedevice, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. A hard diskdrive (HDD), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, or other suitablememory may be used. The memories may be combined on a single integratedcircuit as the processor, or may be separate therefrom. Furthermore, thecomputer program instructions may be stored in the memory and which maybe processed by the processors can be any suitable form of computerprogram code, for example, a compiled or interpreted computer programwritten in any suitable programming language. The memory or data storageentity is typically internal but may also be external or a combinationthereof, such as in the case when additional memory capacity is obtainedfrom a service provider. The memory may be fixed or removable.

The memory and the computer program instructions may be configured, withthe processor for the particular device, to cause a hardware apparatussuch as network entity 420 or UE 410, to perform any of the processesdescribed above (see, for example, FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 ). Therefore, incertain embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may beencoded with computer instructions or one or more computer program (suchas added or updated software routine, applet or macro) that, whenexecuted in hardware, may perform a process such as one of the processesdescribed herein. Computer programs may be coded by a programminglanguage, which may be a high-level programming language, such asobjective-C, C, C++, C#, Java, etc., or a low-level programminglanguage, such as a machine language, or assembler. Alternatively,certain embodiments may be performed entirely in hardware.

Furthermore, although FIG. 4 illustrates a system including a networkentity 420 and UE 410, certain embodiments may be applicable to otherconfigurations, and configurations involving additional elements, asillustrated and discussed herein. For example, multiple user equipmentdevices and multiple network entities may be present, or other nodesproviding similar functionality, such as nodes that combine thefunctionality of a user equipment and an network entity, such as a relaynode. The UE 410 may likewise be provided with a variety ofconfigurations for communication other than communication network entity420. For example, the UE 410 may be configured for device-to-device,machine-to-machine, or vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

Certain embodiments can provide a method, apparatus, means for, or acomputer product for data layer discovery. In particular, the aboveembodiments provide for an efficient solution for the network functionto find the data layer where the UE context information may be stored.Otherwise, the network function may have to use multiple queries todetermine the UE context information, which can require a large overheadand a large amount of network resources. The optimized access to thedata layer, as described in the above embodiments, therefore achievessignificant improvements to the functioning of a network and/or to thefunctioning of the different network entities within the network.

The features, structures, or characteristics of certain embodimentsdescribed throughout this specification may be combined in any suitablemanner in one or more embodiments. For example, the usage of the phrases“certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” or othersimilar language, throughout this specification refers to the fact thata particular feature, structure, or characteristic described inconnection with the embodiment may be included in at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearance of the phrases “incertain embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in other embodiments,” orother similar language, throughout this specification does notnecessarily refer to the same group of embodiments, and the describedfeatures, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitablemanner in one or more embodiments.

One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that theinvention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a differentorder, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which aredifferent than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although theinvention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, itwould be apparent to those of skill in the art that certainmodifications, variations, and alternative constructions would beapparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.

PARTIAL GLOSSARY

-   3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project-   5G 5^(th) Generation-   DNS Doman Name System-   DL Data Layer-   SDL Shared data layer.-   IMEI International Mobile Equipment Identity-   IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem-   IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity-   FQDN Fully Qualified Domain Name-   NG Next Generation-   MMF Mobility Management Function-   PLMN Public Land Mobile Network-   SMF Session Management Function-   RAN Radio Access Network-   RRC Radio Resource Control-   MTC Machine-Type Communication-   mMTC Massive MTC-   UDSF Unstructured Data Storage Function-   UE User Equipment

We claim:
 1. A method comprising: transmitting a registration requestfrom a user equipment to a network function, wherein the networkfunction comprises a fifth-generation (5G) Access and Mobility Function(AMF); receiving, at the user equipment, a temporary identification fromthe network function, wherein the temporary identification comprises anidentifier that maps to a location in an unstructured data storagefunction that stores context information for the user equipment; andtransmitting, from the user equipment, a subsequent request comprisingthe temporary identification to the 5G AMF or to another 5G AMF, whereinthe temporary identification is operable to cause the 5G AMF or theanother 5G AMF to retrieve, utilizing the temporary identification, thecontext information for the user equipment from the location in theunstructured data storage function.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein the 5G AMF is part of a serving public land mobile network. 3.The method according to claim 2, further comprising: deriving theserving public land mobile network of the user equipment using anidentity of a public land mobile network.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, further comprising: transmitting the temporary identificationto a radio access network.
 5. The method according to claim 4, whereinthe temporary identification is transmitted to the radio access networkvia a radio resource control message.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe subsequent request comprises one of: a service request, a sessionrequest, an attach request, an access request, a modify request, or anupdate request.
 7. A user equipment comprising: at least one processor;and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the atleast one memory and the computer program code are configured to, withthe at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to:transmit a registration request to a network function, wherein thenetwork function is a fifth-generation (5G) Access and Mobility Function(AMF); receive, from the 5G AMF, a temporary identification, wherein thetemporary identification comprises an identifier that maps to a locationin an unstructured data storage function that stores context informationfor the user equipment; and transmit, to the 5G AMF or another 5G AMF, asubsequent request comprising the temporary identification, wherein thetemporary identification is operable to cause the 5G AMF or the another5G AMF to retrieve, utilizing the temporary identification, the contextinformation for the user equipment from the location in the unstructureddata storage function.
 8. The user equipment of claim 7, wherein thesubsequent request comprises one of: a service request, a sessionrequest, an attach request, an access request, a modify request, or anupdate request.
 9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encodinginstructions that, when executed in hardware, perform a process, theprocess including: transmitting, from a user equipment, to a networkfunction, a registration request, wherein the network function is afifth-generation (5G) Access and Mobility Function (AMF); receiving, atthe user equipment, from the 5G AMF, a temporary identification, whereinthe temporary identification comprises an identifier that maps to alocation in an unstructured data storage function that stores contextinformation for the user equipment; and transmitting, from the userequipment, to the 5G AMF or another 5G AMF, a subsequent requestcomprising the temporary identification, wherein the temporaryidentification is operable to cause the 5G AMF or the another 5G AMF toretrieve, utilizing the temporary identification, the contextinformation for the user equipment from the location in the unstructureddata storage function.
 10. The non-transitory computer-readable mediumof claim 9, wherein the subsequent request comprises one of: a servicerequest, a session request, an attach request, an access request, amodify request, or an update request.
 11. A method comprising:receiving, at a fifth-generation (5G) Access and Mobility Function (AMF)or another 5G AMF, a previous request from a user equipment; generating,at the 5G AMF or another 5G AMF, a temporary identification, wherein thetemporary identification comprises an identifier that maps to a locationin an unstructured data storage function that stores context informationof the user equipment; assigning the temporary identification to theuser equipment; sending the temporary identification to the userequipment receiving, at the 5G AMF, from the user equipment, aregistration request, the registration request comprising the temporaryidentification; and retrieving, at the 5G AMF, the context informationfrom the location in the unstructured data storage function using thetemporary identification.
 12. A fifth-generation (5G) Access andMobility Function (AMF), the 5G AMF comprising: at least one processor;and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the atleast one memory and the computer program code are configured to, withthe at least one processor, cause the 5G AMF at least to: receive aprevious request from a user equipment generate a temporaryidentification, wherein the temporary identification comprises anidentifier that maps to a location in an unstructured data storagefunction that stores context information of the user equipment; assignthe temporary identification to the user equipment send the temporaryidentification to the user equipment receive a registration request fromthe user equipment, the registration request comprising the temporaryidentification; and retrieve the context information from the locationin the unstructured data storage function using the temporaryidentification.